Lloyd’s of London saw underwriting profit jump last year as rising insurance premiums and a better-than-expected loss environment benefitted the insurance marketplace. In a trading update published today ahead of …
Estate Planning
New London to Scotland rail service gets the go ahead with cheaper fares expected
A new rail service between London and Stirling has been given the green light by the regulator and is expected to lower fares on the West Coast Mainline. The Office …
Pay growth set to stay high in blow to Bank of England interest rate cut hopes
Firms expect pay growth to remain higher than the Bank of England would like over the next year in an indication of the challenges faced getting inflation back down to …
Ronnie O’Sullivan makes $1m golden ball pledge after winning Saudi snooker event
Ronnie O’Sullivan has vowed to bank $1m (£780,000) by potting the golden ball when he returns to defend his World Masters of Snooker title in Saudi Arabia next year. O’Sullivan …
Pennon mega-deal for South East Water facing competition probe
A probe has been launched into Pennon Group’s water mega-deal for Sutton and East Surrey (SES) Water by the Competition and Markets Authority. According to a government update released today, …
Commuters, unglaze your eyes – is the design of London Bridge a ‘scandal’?
Is London Bridge a practical result of post-war planning or a horrific urban eyesore? Your answer may reveal a lot about you, writes Lucy Kenningham Consider London Bridge. No, not …
Entain hits record high online punters ahead of ‘significant’ UK regulations
Ladbrokes-owner Entain hit a record level of online customers last year as the globe’s betting boom showed no signs of slowing. Net gaming revenues were up 11 per cent in …
ITV reports revenue drop due to ‘challenging’ advertising market
ITV has today reported a drop in overall sales for 2023 despite an uptick in digital revenue and a record performance from its ITV Studios business. In a year in …
Nationwide agrees terms for £2.9bn Virgin Money takeover to create second-largest provider of UK mortgages and savings
Nationwide, the UK’s largest building society, has struck a preliminary agreement to acquire Virgin Money, Britain’s sixth-biggest high street bank, valuing the latter at around £2.9bn. The two lenders announced …
House prices continue to rise despite higher rates says Halifax
House prices rose by 0.4 per cent in February, marking the fourth monthly uptick in a row, a new report by Halifax has found. Its latest house price index showed …